Earnshaw Heights

Chapter Nine

Nella Humble. James Irwin. Kirsten Jackson. Lauren Jauregui.

When Lauren finally finished scanning for her name along the long list of students, she was both eager and apprehensive to discover her schedule of classes - the apprehension currently winning out. The eagerness was still there though, thanks to Normani's encouragement. Lauren quickly shook away the thought of the hug that had transpired between the two moments ago, as she felt a heat rising to flush her cheeks. The electric spark that the feel of Normani's body against her own had sent throughout Lauren was more than she could bear without wanting to breach into that more-than-just-a-friend area.

Technically, they weren't even friends. They needed to remain nothing more than roommates. Still, that hug had felt like a lot more than what it should have been...

Lauren physically shook away the thought again to resume her search for her schedule. She took a deep breath in, mentally preparing herself for what she would find on the stone. Lauren's mind was swamped with her fears and worries. All of my magic is dark. It's dark and it's tarnished and that's all I've ever known. Everyone around me knows it. They know everything about what happened, and that's all anyone will ever care about. None of these classes are going to be anything good. She prepared herself for the worst, yet secretly still held on to that sliver of hope that she would be pleasantly surprised.

Mondays: Introduction to Magic Unrelated to Wizards/Witches. Well, Lauren couldn't argue with that one. While she had known more exotic forms of magical creatures existed through friends or famous figures, she had to admit that her knowledge was limited. She barely understood her own magic. Which was an ironic enough thought as Lauren continued with her list.

Tuesdays: Understanding Your Own Magic. Lauren audibly choked at the name. As though anyone would want to go into any detail in understanding the magic of a dark witch. As though anyone could understand. The thought was laughable, honestly. She had no idea how she would approach that class, with her history. No. Her parents' history. Maybe this was her chance to finally separate herself from the deeds of her parents, just like Normani had said.

Wednesdays: Flight. Lauren simply stared at the name, reading the single word over and over again in an attempt to process what this meant. The history of flight? Would she be flying? She didn't know how to fly. Sometimes witches flew on brooms, or was that just in the movies? She decided to return to her thoughts on that one later.

Thursdays: Defense and the Magic of the Mind. Again, an ambiguous course. Lauren began to wonder if entering this program was even a good idea. How would anyone understand her magic and her mind when she was surrounded by those with completely different experiences from her own? With only one more class to look at, Lauren prayed that it would be something to her own benefit.

Fridays: Potions. And with that singular word, Lauren felt something inside her break. She stared blankly at the stone, everything and everyone around her fading away into darkness. Nothing else existed aside from that one word. She blinked repeatedly, waiting for it to change, waiting for some grand reveal that it was all a cruel joke. Potion-making wasn't performed anymore. The majority of potions were strictly illegal. The entire art of potion-making was ruined - and there was quite literally one family name to blame for that. Lauren's skin was pulsating with her magic. She felt it's cold chill creeping into her hands, waiting rather impatiently to escape from her control. She swiftly turned and pushed through the crowd of her peers with no destination in sight other than getting far away from this place.

She had reached the arch of the hallway leading out of the great hall when she felt heat on her upper arm. She whipped around, a snarl creeping onto her lips. Her green eyes burned like bright emeralds, her magic irritating and scratching at her mind. She focused on the heat source in front of her, noting the smooth, chocolate skin of the hand still firmly on her arm. The face was soft, full of warmth and understanding, but Lauren wanted nothing to do with anything kind at that moment.

"Don't fucking touch me," she heard the words leave her mouth with all the cold ferocity of an animal. Her own voice was foreign to her, and the sound alone almost snapped her out of the overwhelming power flooding over her. She watched as Normani winced away, contracting her hand as though she had been bitten, and Lauren took the opportunity to continue away from everyone. Her guilt and her anger and her hurt all fueling her movements out of the castle. She felt the sting of tears falling rapidly down her cheeks, but she continued to storm out, unhindered by her escaping emotions.

She had reached a point of practically sprinting when she arrived at the door leading out to the lake, slamming into it with such force that the door swung completely back on its hinges. She couldn't keep her powers in any longer, couldn't keep her sense of control that she had come to perfect over the years. She slowly walked forward until she collapsed onto her knees, her impact releasing her magic from her body, shaking the ground around her and sending sparks out in all directions. All around her the rocks crumbled, the branches and twigs strewn across the ground splintered and cracked. Her darkness escaped all around her, destroying everything on the ground within a few feet of her kneeling form. Lauren let out all of her emotions, her despair that she had been clinging to so desperately for so so long. She thought of the betrayal she had felt from her mother and father. She thought of the shame that followed her no matter where she went. She recalled the terror and despair that she had forced onto the families like Niall's. She fully felt her anger and her sadness until she slumped down, empty. She sat there for she didn't know how long, frozen in place, until she noticed footsteps approaching.

Normani sat next to Lauren, as close as she could come without touching her. After a few moments, Lauren finally found the courage to look to her right to see her roommate, expecting to find her expression hurt or maybe even disgusted by Lauren's episode. Yet Normani's face was as soft as it had been inside the castle. Her brown eyes shone with a kindness that filled Lauren's chest with every breath she took. Her entire aura brought Lauren further and further away from the emptiness and the darkness that had completely consumed her. The simple act of Normani sitting next to her acted as Lauren's personal life raft to save her from drowning.

Lauren moved to close the distance between them, hesitantly resting her head on Normani's shoulder. Mani set her hand on Lauren's knee, rubbing her thumb in small circles against her pants.

"I'm here," Normani whispered. "I always will be."